Shell to scrap its management switch scheme

Oil giant Shell is reportedly planning to scrap its controversial ‘gifted amateur’ management promotion system under which top executives switch jobs every three years.

Instead they will stay five years or more in one role.

The generalist-to-specialist move is intended to foster radical cultural change at the company , which this year had to cut its proven oil reserves by about a third.

“We want specialists who are prepared to stay in countries like Nigeria for several years, getting to know the local community and business practices. The chopping and changing has to stop,” an insider told the Sunday Times.

Jeroen van der Veer, chief executive at Shell, raised the idea of lifting the three-year job rule in May and is pressing ahead with plans to abolish the time limit on job tenancy.

Since the early 1990s, senior management overseas were regularly moved – particularly in the toughest areas of operations. This caused problems in handing over projects from managers and delaying other assignments in the transition.